ANC’s politics and governance - Version 2023, a review
The shaping of public policy and community welfare rests squarely on the crucial interaction between politics and governance. Politics dwells on the process of making decisions, while governance the implementation.
As soon as Apartheid rule ended in South Africa, and multiracial participatory democracy came into being in 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) has had the mantle of leadership till date. By extension, the ANC has largely determined how our society allocated its collective wealth, managed its problems, and developed its mutual strengths.
Twenty twenty-four is an election year and governance is practically going to be given the back seat while electioneering will reign supreme, unfortunately and expectedly so. Were the ANC to hold on to the seat of power again in 2024, then would it not be in place to see how it fared the previous year, 2023?
While the powerful holds sway in party politics, the vibrancy of a democracy is intimately linked to the engagement of its constituents, making it also a right and responsibility of the populace.
Aspects of governance as mirror of performance
If on the one hand, good governance is characterized by transparency, accountability, rule of law, equity, and the efficient use of resources; and on the other arbitrary policy making, unaccountable bureaucracies, unenforced or unjust legal systems, the abuse of executive power, and increasing corruption, mark the contrary, how did the nation fit in 2023?
According to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, South Africa’s governance has been distressed by problems, including corruption and governance failures. The report also notes that President Cyril Ramaphosa’s political standing has been weakened by serious charges of corruption and governance failures.
However, Ramaphosa was re-elected as leader of the ruling ANC in December 2022, which enhanced his political standing. Fitch Ratings has affirmed South Africa’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘BB-’, an assessment of its relative vulnerability to default on financial obligations, with a Stable Outlook. This is the language stakeholders in the business district want to analyze properly as they weigh their options.
A recent assessment by the Foreign Policy Research Institute shows that South Africa's political and economic trajectory is causing instability in the state. The assessment warns that the nation's economy could take a dangerous turn, leading to a recession or debt crisis. Additionally, the analysis posits that the upcoming 2024 general election may serve as a turning point in South Africa's democratic transition, making it more rigid and difficult for the people.
These reports notwithstanding, opposition political parties are not folding their arms as the date with the polls approaches. They feel that there has been enough of shuffling of the feet on the floor these past years; they want their presence to count at the ballot to give the people a desired change.
30 years of ANC in power and growing discontent
The ANC will mark 30 years in the saddle this year since Nelson Mandela led the party to victory in a multiracial election in 1994. While the party has made significant progress in improving the lives of South Africans, it has also faced criticism for its handling of corruption and governance failures. In recent years, transparency and accountability have become issues gnawing at the very life fabric of the party, and by extension, the nation.
The accusation that ANC has been using state resources to enrich party officials and their associates is a long standing one, and it is not going away any soon. The party has also been criticized for its failure to address the needs of the poor and marginalized, who continue to face high levels of unemployment, poverty, and inequality.
In the lead-up to the 2024 general election, the ANC is facing significant challenges. The party is grappling with internal divisions and a loss of support among voters. The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) led by John Steenhuisen and Julius Malema respectively are both expected to make gains in the election. The ANC’s ability to address the concerns of voters and to deliver on its promises will be critical in determining the outcome of the election.
Though there are other smaller political parties that may align with the bigger of the opposition parties, and even the independent candidates’ rallying platform supported by Build One SA, getting to agree on their political ideological differences can pose some challenges at the polls. However, the parties are yet to get to the bridge in order to make the decision on how to cross.
The political blitz is building up even as former DA party leader and now helmsman of Build One SA, Mmusi Maimane, is networking with politicians and other stakeholders to take shot at the seat of power. It remains to be seen what comes out of the grand coat of many colors in the weeks ahead.
Phala Phala gate – the ghost continues to haunt
In 2023, the scandal and ghost of the Phala Phala gate have refused to vanish, no matter how Ramaphosa and the ANC wished it would. That indignity is a corruption case that involves the stealing of cash from the President’s private game farm in Limpopo province. The incident occurred in February 2020, and has not been handled in a transparent manner given the fact that sizable amount of money was involved.
The scandal has been a mark of the ANC’s lack of transparency and accountability, and has been a smear on Ramaphosa’s anti-corruption stance profile as nation’s number one citizen. This scandal has the possibility to set in motion the impeachment of the president however; a two-thirds majority vote in parliament could turn the apple cart. Whether that is achievable is another kettle of fish with the pat-on-back camaraderie of parliamentarians.
Coalition of political parties, ANC and election 2024
As the 2024 general election approaches, the ANC encounters substantial challenges. Internal divisions and a decline in voter support are pressing issues for the party. The prospect of a coalition of other political parties emerges as a potential challenge for the ANC and President Ramaphosa in the upcoming elections. Should the ANC fall short of securing a majority, the necessity to form a coalition government arises in order to maintain power,
Incidentally, and as expected, the ANC, which wants to cling to power, has warned its supporters about the dangers of coalition governments, citing the frustrating experience of ineffective coalition governments that don’t work for the people. It told its supporters those who benefit are usually the political big wigs that make deals with the purpose of advancing their own personal interests.
The days ahead will be interesting to watch politically.
